Coastguard Hilongos and the Special Operation Unit Eastern Visayas rescue more 100 passengers from a distressed motor banca in the vicinity of Hilongos seawaters. /Coastguard photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—A joint team from Coastguard substation Hilongos and special operation unit in Eastern Visayas (SOU-EV) Leyte rescued over 100 persons from a stranded passenger motor banca in the vicinity of Hilongos seawaters on Tuesday.
The rescued persons were on board motor banca Sea Runner, which was enroute from Ubay, Bohol to Hilongos in Leyte on Tuesday, May 14, when the vessel could no longer proceed.
Seaman First Class Gilvis Maralang said Coastguard Hilongos received a report from one of the passengers on board the motor banca around 3 p.m.
“Said distressed motor banca was reported by one on the passengers onboard to the PCG that they experienced dead on water that need immediate assistance,” according to the report from Coastguard Western Leyte.
After a brief preparation, the search and rescue (SAR) team on board aluminum boat 104 (AB-104), together with motor banca Pastor, left Coastguard Hilongos substation at around 3:20 p.m. of the same day.
The SAR team went to the area where the distressed motor banca was located.
“The team successfully rescued 108 passengers and six motorcycles onboard the distressed motor banca,” according to the Coastguard Western Leyte post on their FB page.
All passengers and crew were safe and good physical condition.
The motor banca Sea Runner was then towed by motor banca Pastor and safely docked at the port of Hilongos, Leyte.
Based on the investigation, the motor banca Sea Runner left Ubay, Bohol enroute to Hilongos, Leyte when they lost one blade of the propeller.
The SAR team returned to proper station at around 7:45 p.m., together with the rescued persons, following the successful conduct of SAR operation./dcb